620 Tasting Notes
1.5 tsp for 300mL wter @100C, steeped 4 minutes 30 seconds, sweetened with a DavidsTea Lemon Honey stick.
This delicious black tea, the result of planting Yunnan cuttings in Nepal soil — brilliant idea — already gives off honey notes, so I thought the lemon honey might be okay in here. I don’t like sweet tea; I always want to taste the tea, so I hesitated, only adding one-third of the stick. Eventually I added the whole thing; it’s not very much honey; it IS an excellent amount for bringing out any honey and fruit notes in a black tea.
The honey sticks are quite expensive, when you figure out just how much, or rather, how little, honey you’re getting, but they are very convenient. The lemon oil is excellent.
1.5 tsp for 300mL water @100C, steeped five minutes, drunk bare.
I’ve not had this blend for a few years. I think the roasted mate in here is new since my last cup.
I often avoid anise, but here it works, its black licorice notes giving some depth the ginger and cinnamon. I can only taste the roasted mate on the after taste, where its often harsh bitterness shows up. (I much prefer green mate.) This tea brews up a bit cloudy, probably because of the ginger, but it’s got a lovely spice heat. I like this blend better than DavidsTea other chais — although Saigon Chai is very good — but I’m not much of a chai fan, as I find the tea bases used are often low quality. I drink this one for the stimulant effects, and for that, it works just fine.
1 bag for 250mL water @100C, steeped 4 minutes, drunk bare.
Very balanced, even a bit mild: smooth. A good tea base that, you know, tastes like TEA (way too many flavoured teas out there taste only of the flavours, or they taste of poor-quality tea and then flavours). Some copper notes: I expect it’s mostly a Ceylon base. The cardamon gives a lovely sharp aroma but does not assault the tongue. I am enjoying this in the late afternoons and early evenings. For a bagged tea, it’s excellent.
1 tsp for 250mL water @100C, steeped 4 minutes, drink bare.
Well, it smells like a nice Yunnan tea. Getting some pepper notes as it cools, but that’s about all. Flat and dull. A real disappointment.
1 tsp for 250mL water @100C, steeped four minutes.
Dark and strong. I can barely see to the bottom of the cup. Now, I like a strong black tea, but this is intense. Bitter, too. I’m surprised. Strong and bitter cocoa notes, hard mineral finish. No pepper, no honey.
1.25 tsp for 250 mL water @100C, steeped 4 minures, drunk bare.
I ordered the Silk Road sampler when my teen daughter asked me to order a custom-blend that comes in a tin with a picture of her favourite anime character on it. And it just so happens I’ve been craaaaaving Keemun today, and this EB is heavy on the Keemun.
Toasty/bready, smooth, a bit smoky, robust finish … ohhhhhh, yeah.
1 bag for 250mL water @100C, steeped four minutes drunk bare.
I just got a big box of this as a gift.
A mostly Ceylon base, I think, and very smooth, with some copper notes. The cardamon smells divine, something like bergamot, only not so oily. Less spicy on the tongue than it smells, but very refreshing. A very effective hot-tea-on-a-hot-day-cooldown drink.
